Changeable advertising exhibitor



Sept. 4, 1934.

Filed Feb. ll, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1934. A. J. KAUFFMAN CHANGEABLE ADVERTISING EXHIBITOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1933 Sept. 4, 1934.

A. J. KAUFFMAN CHANGEABLE ADVERTISING EXHIBITOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 11, 1935 Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN TV OFFICE 7 Claims.

The present invention on changeable advertising exhibitors is designed as an improvement over my co-pending application, Serial Number 579,273, filed December th, 1931, and is intended 5 to greatly increase the operating efliciency of the machine.

In the present improvementl have, as an object of the invention, the employment of safety switches in the exhibitor which automatically function to stop operation of the latter on the failure of the cards to properly feed.

The invention further contemplates the following objects: to provide improved plate impinging abutments; to provide silencers for the abutments, thereby permitting noiseless transfer of the cards in the exhibitor; to construct the exhibitor frame in a manner which permits removal of the cards from and insertion of the cards in the exhibitor in a more facile and expeditious manner; to equip the card carrying carriage with dogs of improved design, the dogs being also-articulate for convenience in removing or inserting the cards; to mount yieldable card stops in the terminals of the exhibitor and to provide an adjust-- able motor to take up the slack in the operating chain if and when this becomes necessary.

Otherobjects of this invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred form thereof, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a perspective view of an improved changeable exhibitor constructed accordance with thepre'sent invention; 1

Fig; 2- is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the exhibitor, showing parts thereof broken Fig. 3 is a'horizon-tal longitudinal sectional view, with portions of the bases of the exhibitor frame broken away;

mounting the card abutments in the exhibitor frame; i I

Fig. 5- is a detail, fragmentary sectional View; taken on the'li-ne' 5 5 of 2', looking" inthef direction of the arrow, showing toadvantage the relationslrii-p of the card abutmen-ts to the silencers Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of. the; arrow, showing toadvantage the manner of 2 Fig. 8 is a detail; enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken through the frame immediately above the motor containing portion of the base thereof and showing to advantage one of the safety switches with the means employed for operating the same;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view through the top of the exhibitor, showing the guide rail for the advertising cards in top plan;

Fig. 10 is'a perspective view of one of the yieldable card stops used on the guide rail;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the carriage plunger used for operating the safety switch;

Fig. 1 2 is a detail, fragmentary perspective view of the carriage for the advertising cards, showing one of the dogs engaged therewith; and V Fig. 13 is'a detail, fragmentary vertical sectional view of the carriage and hinged dog.

, In the drawings, the exhibitor frame of the present invention is generally designated 14 and consists in the present instance of a pair of bases 15, of truncated pyramidal shape, which support a rectangular superstructure 16'. The bases I5 are hollow, adapted for the reception of operating mechanism, as hereinafter set forth. The superstructure 16' is. composed of a hollow base bar 17, atop barlB and hollow end stays 19. The superstructure 'is of skeleton design, open on both sides, so that advertising matter may be simultaneously exhibited on bothsides of. the frame in a manner hereinafter set out. Mounted for movement in the basbar 17 an endless chain 20 trained over sprockets, the-shaft of one of which is journalled throughthe floor of the base bar 1 7,.the shaft 22 of. theother sprocket also depending through the floor of the. base bar intooperative enga ement withgamotor, 23-.v The motor is adjustably mounted through the means of bolts 24-, on the floor of the base bar 17:, within the confines ofone of the bases 15-. The bolts 24 are adjnst. ablymoun-tedin elongated openings 25, perm-itti'ngi the motor to be adjusted for taking. up slack: in the sprocketuchaini 1 1 The sprocketchain 2a is equipped with a roller pin 26; the latter being engaged for movement in an elongated recess formed; in a bearing block 27:, mounted ona carriageflfi. The carriage is: U- shaped incross secti-on, the sides. thereof being spaced fromand embracing. an-inverted: U -shapect baseZQ, pendently carried by a supporting platform 30, the latter being. U -shapedi in cross-seetion and adapted for the reception of indici'a bearing cards 3 L The sides of the carriage 28 base 29" are complementary formed toreceive serve as silencers for the'pl'ates.

therebetween anti-friction means 32, as shown to advantage in Fig. l of the drawings.

At each end of the carriage and opposite sides thereof, a spacing block 33 is provided, to which a dog 34 is hingedly engaged. Each of the dogs consists of a plate, one of the lateral margins of which is sleeved over a shaft 35, carried by the spacing block 33. The opposite margin of the plate is bent at right angles to overhang the block 33 and lie in parallel relation thereto, providing a flange 36, which tapers outwardly toward its inner end and terminates abruptly, short of the inner end of the plate, in a card engaging shoulder 37. Each of the dogs 34 is normally held in a vertical position, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, by a spring 38, which is coiled on the shaft 35. Manifestly, the dogs 34 may be moved laterally against the resistance of the springs 38 when it is desired to insert or remove the cards 31.

The indieia bearing cards 31 are mounted on the platform between the up-turned sides of the latter and extend upwardly through a longitudinally extending opening in the top of the base bar 17. The upper margins of the cards are embraced by a guide rail 39 which parallels the platform 30 and is secured to the latter by suitable fastening means 40, mounted in the end bars 19. It will be noted that the opposite terminals of the bars 19 abut the inner faces ofthe platform 30 and guide rail 39. Thefastening means 40 extends completely through the end bars 19, the lower ends thereof extending through the platform 30, base bar 1'? and into the bases 15 for engagement with the latter. The upper ends of the fasteningmeans extend through the guide rail 39 and are secured to the latter. In this manner the entire frame of the exhibitor is detachably engaged'in a way to facilitate assemblage of the parts of the frame, yet providing a compact structure, with the cost of manufacture reduced to a minimum.

Mounted on the platform 30, approximately midway of the ends of the latter, is a center block 41, which has a pair of pintles 42 mounted therein, the upper ends of the pintles projecting through the guide rail 39 and secured thereto in any suitable manner. 7 Each of the pintles is adapted for engagement Witha'card abutment 43. In the present instanceI prefer to make the abut- ;mentfrom a metal sheet, rolling one margin thereof to provide a sleeve'in' whichthe pintle is fitted. It will be noted'that the free margin of the sleeve is spaced from the plate body, as-in-' dicated at 44, through which the ends of coil springs is are free to project into engagement with the faces of the abutments, as shown "to advantagein Figs. 4' and6. 'Furthermore'this outwardly into' engagementwith the'guide rail 39, the latter being equipped with cushions 4'7, which Each of the abutment plates is also provided with a struck out lug or ear 48, which is adapted to impinge against certain of the plates lying on opposite sides of the. center block 41,.as shownto advantagein Fig. 3, thereby preventing. accidental movement of the cards from one part of the exhibitor to the other; If, due to the failure of any part of the mecha-- nism, the continuity of operation of the cards is impaired, ,I .have provided suitable means automatically operated by the advertisingmatter it-.

into the bore of the plunger.

Thesprings normally urge the free margins of the abutment plates 43 self, to render the exhibitor inoperative. The means employed for this purpose consists of a plunger 49, mounted in each end of the exhibitor, each of the plungers being slidably engaged in a tube 50, secured to the platform base 29 and mounted within the sides of the latter. One end of each plunger is offset and provided with a right angled head 51, which lies in the path of movement of the cards being transferred, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Each plunger is further equipped with a switch operating finger 52, which is adapted for engagement with a switch 53, one of said switches being mounted in each end of the base bar 17 in circuit with the motor 23. The opposite end of each plunger projects beyond the inner end of its tube and has a coil spring 54 sleeved thereon, the outer end of the latter abutting a washer 55, which is secured to the plunger by a screw 56, threaded During the normal operation of the carriage, the extent of movement of the plungers isnot sufficient to effect operation of the switches 53. As soon, however, as the plungers are permitted to move in excess of the normal throw of the plungers, the fingers 52 effect movement of the switches 53 with an obvious result. I I N a 7 At each end of the exhibitor I provide card stops, each of which in the present instance, consists of a yieldable plate 57, one end of each of said plates being secured to the guide rail 39 by the fastening means 49. The opposite end of each plate extends througha complemental openingin the guide rail and has its free end looped to reinforce the same for engagement with the plates. These steps are preferably arranged as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, to permit clearance of the cards being transferred. and are yieldable to allow the free ends thereof to beremoved through the slots inthe guiderails when the indicia bearing cards are engaged with, or disengaged from the exhibitor. v

In use of the invention, the indicia carrying cards 31 are mounted in groups on the platform 30 in a manner now well known in the art. The plate groups are arranged on opposite sides of the center block ll and are urged pastthe latter by the dogs 36 of the carriage whenthe latter is operated in response to the action of the motor 23. Normally the cards are. moved, from one.

the card to clear. vWhen the moving; card arrives at a point in proximity to the terminal of. the exhibitor, it is interceptedby the-head 5]., of the plunger 49 and normally moves thelatter against the resistance of the spring 54. The plunger is permitted to move a sufficient distance to allow the card to clear the free margin of the abutment plate, and the latter thenflexes inwardly under the influence ,of its spring As the sprocket chain 29 continues its movement, ipressure oin the plate is; released. thereby permitting, the plunger to be retracted and the moving card urged toward the center of the exhibitor into engagement wit h the struck out lug 48. If forany reason-there should be a failure of the abutment plate, on either side of the exhibitor, causing impingement of the card already moved; with the card nextjtobe trans ferred, the plunger 49 moves beyondits safety zone, thereby effecting contact of the depending finger 52, causing the switch 53 to be operated, thus shutting off the motor. In fact, it is apparent that any movement of the cards which will cause either of the plungers to move in excess of the predetermined limits established therefor, will cause the switches 53 to be thrown, with manifest results. Where there is a normal transfer of a card from one group to the other, the abutment plate 43 which has been urged inwardly, is thrown out against one of the cushions 4'7, thereby making movement of the abutment noiseless. As illustrated to advantage in Figs. 2 and 9, ample space is provided at the sides of the yieldable plates 57 to permit free transfer of the indicia bearing cards in a manner already described.

In inserting or removing the cards, after the top bar 18 and guide rail 39 have been removed, it is only necessary to urge the dogs 34 laterally against the spring 38. The same springs return the dogs to a normal vertical position as soon as pressure is released therefrom.

Although I have herein described the present preferred form of my invention, it is apparent that various changes may be made in the construction, proportion and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A changeable exhibitor including a frame, an advertising card supporting carriage mounted on the frame, a motor on the frame in operative connection with the carriage to effect transfer of the cards in the frame, and switches in the frame operable by the cards to render the motor inoperative only when the continuity of feeding the cards is interrupted.

2. A changeable exhibitor including a frame for carrying advertising material, motive means to effect movement of said material in the frame, and means operated by said material, upon displacement of the latter, to stop the motive means.

3. A changeable exhibitor including a platform equipped with indicia bearing cards arranged in groups, transfer means for said cards,.means on the platform for intercepting a card travelling from one group to the other, and a switch in the exhibitor, in the path of movement of said latter means, operable to stop the transfer means upon excessive movement of the intercepted card.

4. A changeable exhibitor including a frame, groups of indicia bearing cards arranged in the frame, means for successively transferring said cards from one group to another, abutment plates on the frame between the card groups each of which extends from the top to the bottom of the frame, said plates being movable to permit transfer of the selected card, and means on each of said plates to prevent casual return of the card transferred.

5. A changeable exhibitor including a frame, groups of indicia bearing cards arranged in the frame, means for successively transferring said cards from one group to another, means for intercepting the card transferred, and abutment means mounted between the card groups, said means being movable to permit transfer of the selected card from one group to the other, said intercepting means being yieldable to urge the selected card into engagement with said abutment means upon completion of the transfer of the selected card. A

6. A changeable exhibitor including a frame, groups of indicia bearing cards arranged in the frame, means for selectively transferring said cards from one group to another, abutment means mounted on the frame between said card groups, said means being movable inwardly by the selected card being transferred from one group to the other, a spring for urging said means outwardly toward the side of the frame, and silencers on the frame in the path of movement of said. means to absorb noise and prevent contact of the means with the frame.

7. A changeable exhibitor including a frame, a platform in the frame equipped with groups of indicia bearing cards, means on the platform for transferring said cards from one group to another, a plunger carried by the platform at each end of the latter, a portion of which lies in the path of movement of a car-d being transferred to intercept the latter, and yieldable means engaged with'each of the plungers to retract the latter after it has been urged a predetermined distance by said card transfer means.

ALBERT JOHN KAUFFMAN. 

